The Truth About Core Training: Why Most
Programs Fail and
What Really Works
The Industry Failed You — Here’s the Fix
For decades, the fitness industry has thrown around the word “core” without ever defining what it really is.
Trainers have had you doing endless crunches, planks, and ab circuits… and yet:
Back pain keeps coming back.
Workouts plateau and stop producing results.
Most people never feel any stronger or more confident in their movement.
The reason? The industry never created a real definition of the core. And that failure has left millions of people spinning their wheels.
What Everyone Misses
Most programs focus on pieces of the core — the six-pack abs, obliques, or maybe the lower back.
But the truth is this: your core is not just your abs and low-back. It’s the integrated foundation of your body. Without it, your strength, posture, and performance will always fall short.
And here’s the shocking part: despite decades of research and development, the fitness industry has shown no interest in creating a true definition of the core. That’s why so many programs fail you.
Frankly, the apathy displayed by the fitness industry on this topic has been both mind-boggling and infuriating to me, to say the least.
The Total Body Core Model™
I created the Total Body Core Model™ after years of study, testing, refining, and using it with clients who weren’t getting the results they deserved from conventional training.
Over and over, I saw the same problem: the industry kept telling people to “train their core,” but without a definition, programs were scattered, results were inconsistent, and clients were left frustrated.
So I built the model the industry never did.
For years, it’s been the hidden framework behind every transformation I’ve guided at my studio. And now, I’m making it public — because people need it, and no one else has stepped up to do it.
Here’s how the model works — four layers that function together as one system:
Layer 1: Deep Core Stabilizers (The Foundation)
The deepest muscles (like the TVA and multifidi) act as your body’s foundation. They don’t create big movements, but they provide stability, alignment, and protection for everything else.Layer 2: Structural Core (The Lumbopelvic Hip Complex)
This is the center of your body — the spine, pelvis, and hips — where most people experience pain or dysfunction. When this layer is stable and strong, the rest of the body can move freely.Layer 3: Myofascial Anchors (Upper & Lower Cross-Bridges)
These are the diagonal and spiral muscular connections — linking your shoulders to hips, and your upper to lower body. They’re what allow power to flow through the body in athletic, real-world movement.Layer 4: Peripheral Sensors & Amplifiers (Hands, Feet & Breath)
Your hands, feet, and breathing mechanics are the “switches” that instantly change how your core fires. Every grip, every step, every breath can either amplify or weaken your entire system.
Most fitness programs train just one or two of these layers and ignore the rest. That’s why people keep getting stuck.
But when you train all the layers together — the way the body is truly designed to work — strength, mobility, and stability finally come together.
You create a synergistic effect where the end result becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
Why It Matters to You
Without a true definition, the industry has delivered decades of:
Lingering back pain.
Workouts that stall.
Injuries that keep coming back.
With the Total Body Core Model™, you’ll experience:
A stronger back and better posture.
Smoother movement and greater range of motion.
Real strength that transfers into sports, daily life, and long-term confidence.
